


Rest In Peace, Fourth Wall-san...

by ZarahXan



Category: Shaman King (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Crack, Gen, Hao likes being petty, Meta Humor, Random Occurances, Some Big Spoilers for the manga, no beta we die like men, slightly concerned at how sober I was writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZarahXan/pseuds/ZarahXan
Summary: Manta makes a mind-blowing discovery and needs to get to Yoh quickly.(Based off a random writing prompt.)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 14





	Rest In Peace, Fourth Wall-san...

**Author's Note:**

> This was based off the writing prompt: “A character knows they're in a novel and constantly breaks the fourth wall.”   
> —via nanowrimo.org
> 
> (Warning: This contains a big spoiler for the OG manga, so read at your own risk.)

_“Yoh-kuuuuuuuuuuun!!!”_ Manta called out, in desperate search for his friend as he rushed across the halls of the Onsen. 

” **Oy**. What are you screaming out here for?” a stern voice asked.

Manta’s heart froze as he was met face to face with Anna, her cold glare sending chills down his spine.

“A-Anna—!”

“You better have a good reason for yelling like this so late.”

“L-listen..! Anna-san! I made a terrifying discovery and I have to tell Yoh!”

Anna lifted a brow. “And what would that be?”

“Y-you don’t know either..!?”

“Know _what_?” Anna asked, her tone evidently annoyed.

“L-look!” Manta points to the screen. Anna looks towards the same direction.

“...what are you even pointing at?”

“You don’t see them??”

“See what?”

“The person on the screen looking at us!! Or it??”

“What person??” 

“The one reading this story!”

“Oyamada Manta, if you don’t start making sense right now—“

“I AM making sense! I just discovered that our whole lives, everything we’ve been through has been a—“

Manta was interrupted by a loud, muffled yawn and a sliding door opening.

Yoh emerged from the dark room. “...ah, Manta?”

“Yoh-kun!!” Manta cried, rushing towards the taller brunette in alarm.

“You won’t believe what I found out! It’s terrifying!!”

“Whoa, easy, Manta...! Try taking deep breaths first, you look really tense.”

“Of course I’m tense!” Manta retorted.

“I just realize that... that...”

“That?”

“...That this... is all _FICTION_!” He finished, pointing his encyclopedia into the air dramatically.

The only thing that could be heard in Funbari Onsen that night was crickets. Anna stared at Manta as if he just tried to play the strangest prank on her. Yoh only blinked... and then chuckled.

“I’m serious!”

“Yeah, I believe you!”

“Eh? Why are you so calm??”

“That’s because I know that too...” Yoh said as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

“What..!?”

“But oohhh! Did you see? We have so many fans! So many people who read about us! I didn’t think we’d ever get this big! Even “Funga Fufu” is a popular thing to say now!” Yoh’s eyes sparkled with wonder.

“But...!”

“I don’t think it’s too much of a big deal. After all, we’re all still here whether we know or not, right? In the end, it’s nothing too big to stress about…”

Manta tried to counter Yoh’s words, but found his mind coming up with nothing. He sighed. “...I guess.”

“... Although, the one thing that’s gonna bother me is how it almost seems like we’re on surveillance nearly more than half of the time. But other than that, isn’t it cool that so many readers know about us shamans and the spirit world?”

”Yoh...” Anna’s eyes revealed nothing.

Yoh’s smile disappeared. He turned to look at her apologetically. “I’m sorry Anna. I was still trying to find out how to tell you and.. well, I didn’t know how you would take the news...”

“If we have a fanbase... _then we must use this to boost our brand for the Onsen!_ ” A dangerous gleam sparked in Anna’s eyes. Yoh and Manta could only look on in fear, for they knew what chaos was to come about.

But wait… Manta thought. “Yoh? How do you know about all this?”

“I told him.” Another voice said.

The group turned to see Hao looming across the hall.

“H-Hao!? You know too..!?”

“Of course I did. As king, I know everything. It only makes sense that I do.” The God’s eyes narrow. “However, what doesn’t make sense, is how I only came second in the Character popularity poll!” He turns to stare at his twin.

“Ehehe, Ah... my bad??” Yoh smiled shyly.

The older brother huffed. “How can this be?? I have more than half of the fanbase on my side. I even have more spin-offs than all of yours combined. I’m the definition of attractive and I don’t doubt for a second that people think I’m eye-candy every time I appear onscreen or on paper. I’m clearly the far superior twin!”

“That’s debatable.” Anna drawled. “Besides, Yoh is the main character and is one of the most unique protagonists I’ve seen for Shounen manga. It makes sense that he’s the most popular.”

“But I’m the Shaman King. The titular character.” 

“You weren’t even officially crowned king until the last chapter.”

Hao and Anna glared daggers at each other until Yoh cut in. “Guys, guys, please, let’s not fight!” But suddenly, Yoh’s eyes widened with an epiphany.

“Oh, I know!” Yoh takes out a book that seemingly came out of nowhere.

“Where did you get that??”

“I dunno, I think the author writing this gave it to me just now. It’s... a compilation of Shaman King Fanfiction... err, and the bottom says “Alternative Realities And Timelines”??”

“ _That’s...!!_ ”

“ _No wait..!_ ”

Hao and Anna frantically rush to Yoh to stop him from opening it.

“H-Hey, What gives..!?”

“ _Asakura Yoh, don’t you DARE open this..!_ ”

“ _That is a whole other realm of realities you cannot even imagine to comprehend, and I’m saying this as someone who’s lived for centuries!_ ”

Manta looked on as chaos ensured amongst the three as they continued to talk, squabble, and ramble on. He looked at the screen again and wondered if someone like him was reading about him too. Did they feel comforted to see themselves in something they read? 

Existential crisis aside, perhaps this wasn’t too bad after all...

**Author's Note:**

> Also yeah, the thing about the popularity poll is based of the one for the 20th anniversary of Shaman King: Yoh came in first, Hao came in second, and Anna came in third.


End file.
